Godfather of Street Art: Shadowman unveiled at Castle Fine Art
Earlier this summer, leading gallery group Castle Fine Art unveiled an exclusive limited edition Shadowman collection and immersive exhibition experience. The brand-new collection, curated using original artworks from the Richard Hambleton Archive, includes four limited-edition graphics of the well-known New York shadowed figures.
Hambleton was renowned for his graffitied works, which first appeared in alleyways and subways of 1980s New York, sparking fear and controversy amongst many of the city’s inhabitants. His well-known menacing ‘shadowmen’ revolutionised street art, earning him the title ‘the godfather of street art’.
Bringing his art from street to canvas, Castle Fine Art has now released an exclusive collection of large-scale artworks, printed as a silkscreen on torn-edged paper echoing the fine art aesthetic of Hambleton’s work. The Shadowman collection and exhibition marks the renaissance of the conceptual artist, who went on to inspire street artists across the globe.
Andy Valmorbida, a leading art collector, commented:
"Richard Hambleton’s standing shadows revolutionised and commercialised street art in the early 1980s, paving the way for Basquiat, Haring and Banksy. I cannot emphasise the importance of the role he’s played in modern art history."
Following Hambleton’s untimely death in 2017, his work had been shelved in the archives of art history until most recently. Following a resurgence of interest in Hambleton’s paintings, which still feature on the East Side of the Berlin Wall, his works now sell for up to $500,000.
Commenting on the exclusive collection, Ian Weatherby-Blythe, Group MD for Castle Fine Art said:
“We are so excited to be sharing this exclusive ‘Shadowman’ collection with our clients. Hambleton is a monumental figure within the art world, and we are honoured to be a part of the movement that leads Hambleton’s legacy from the shadows. These life-size, black-silhouetted figures capture a moment in history, one that ultimately paved the way for many of the street artists we all know and love today.”
The Shadowman collection is available to purchase in-store and online. Find out more about Richard Hambleton and the Shadowman collection at the Castle Fine Art website: www.castlefineart.com
